Power-transmitting device.



No- 828,116. PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906. 0. HOFPMANN.

\ POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 1906.

2 SHEETS4SHEET 1.

.No- 828,116. PATENTED-AUG. 7 1906. O. HOFPM-ANN.

POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 2 1906.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

have invented E srarns arm" .0;

FIQE.

l OTTO HOFFMANN, or GRANITE, MINNESOTA.

PQWER=TRAMSMITTENG DEVlQE.

no. 828,1 1c.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 7, 1906.

Application as was 2,1906- striu is. 294,148.

ing a riven gear having a s'wiveled or universal-j oint connection with the forward axle.

- constructions and Further, the invention consists in various combinations; all as' hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims. i

In the accompanying drawings, forming I part of this specification, Figure 1 1s a longitudinal vertical section of a vehicle with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a trans verse'seotional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View showing the manner of mounting the steering- 0st and its position with respect to the a e. Fig. 4.is a bottom view of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the middle portion of the axle. Fig. 6 is a, sectional View on the lineyy of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view illustrating the -manner of mounting the driven sprocket on the forward axle.

Fig. 8 is a detail'view of the sprocket, and Fig. 9 is a similar view of the s oke or connection between the sprocket and the axle.

In the drawings, 2 represents the fioor of a vehicle having a rear axle 3 and carryingwheels 4 and a sprocket 5 secured on said axle and driven from any suitable source of power (not shown) carried by the vehicle.

At the forward end 'of the'vehicle-body I provide castings 6 and and below the axle. 8 and having lugs or ears 9, secured together by bolts 10. Carrying-wheels 11 are mounted on the said axle and have ratchet connections 12'therewith, as usual in running-gears where i t is desirable to operate one wheel without affecting the other, as in making a turn. The castings or framefi have a circular or upper portion 13, similar to a fifth-wheeland adapted to slide on a ring 14, secured to the under side of the bottom'or plate 2. A steering-post15, hav- 7, arranged in pairs above ing awheel16, is inserted into a suitable bushing 17 in'the bottom 2 and secured in the to of the frame 6, so that the movement of sai operating-wheel will be transmitted to the forward axle. The axle 8 is provided with a centrally-arranged loop 18, 1nwh1ch a flattened s oke 19 is pivoted by means of a bolt 20, which extends through the sides of said loop andthrough said s oke, as shown in Fig. 6. The loop is of s allow the spoke to oscillate on its pivot back and forth toward theends of the axle.

anks 21, haying nuts 22 and ada ted to fit to sockets 23, providedin a sproc et-wheel 24, which is loosely mounted on the axle, be

tween depend guides 25. These guides are secured to t e under side of the vehicle bottom or body and have annular coves 26, between which and the corresponding grooves in the sprocket-Wheel bearing-balls 27 are arranged. These balls allow the sprocketwheel to revolve with the axle between the guides 25. If in steering the vehicle the spoke 19 happens to stand vertically, then e oscillation of the axle will be on the pivots at the ends of the sfioke. If the spoke is horizontal, then it wi bearing and no movement its ends. The connection thusserves as a universal joint between the driven sprocket and the axle, allowing the axle to be oscillated back and forth to steer the vehicle and accommodate itself to the rough or uneven surface over which the wheels may be passing. Thesprocket-wheel 24 is preferably connected with the wheel 5 by a chain belt 28. It will be obvious, however, that a gear connec tion may be employed in place of the chain, if referred.

also referto provide a reach 29, connect- .inglthe ame 7 with the bottom 2 of the vec e. I do not wish in this application to be confined to the articular means em loyed for supportingt e forward end of the vehicle upon the axle, my invention consisting, essentially, in the means for transmitting power to the" center of the oscillatingaxle, said means permitting the axle to be swung back and forth to steer the vehicle.

claim as In invention- 1. The com ination with a vehicle-axle having carrying-wheels, of a spoke or p atecentrally pivoted on said axle, asprofiket- Wheel loosely mounted onsaid axle and havoscillate on its center cient-length to will take place at The spoketerminates at each end in threaded .c'onnections with the ends of said spoke, and

said swiveled connections being at right angles substantially with the pivot of said spoke in said loop, and a-vdriving connection for said sprocket-wheel, substantially as described.

,3. The combination with a forward axle having carrying-wheels and .a frame with a steering-post, of a vehicle-body swiveled on said frame, a sprocket-wheel loosely mounted on said axle, means pivotedon said axle and having a swiveled connection with the rim of said wheel.

' 4. The combination with the .forwardaxle seams having carrying-wheels, of a frame mounted on said axle, a steering-post for said frame, a vehiole-bottom su ported on said frame, guides dependin rom said vehicle-bottom, a sprocket-whee having ball-bearings in said guides, and a spoke centrally pivoted on said axle and having swiveled connections at its ends with said'sprocket-Wheel, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with an axle having carrying-Wheels, of a member centrally pivoted on said axle, a wheel loosely mounted and having a swiveled connection with the ends of said member and a driving connection for said Wheel.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29thday of December, 1905.

OTTO HOFFMANN.

Witnesses 2 RICHARD PAUL Q. Maosamnna. 

